A Second Chance
by FocusK
Summary: After quitting his job Takaki Tohno runs into a someone who he has been longing to see for a long time, could this be his second chance to get back what he lost all those years ago? This takes place a little before the train sequence in the final part of the film.
1. Chapter 1

NOTE: In no way shape or form do I own the story or characters in Makoto Shinkai's 5_ Centimeters Per Second_. Anyway this is my first fan fiction and I was really nervous about uploading it but one of my good friends told me to do it so here it is. Please leave some reviews and ways that I can better improve my writing and enjoy!

Chapter 1: Reunion by Luck

Years had gone by since Takaki Tohno had last seen Akari Shinohara. He held onto memories as if he was holding onto his life. Everyday he would live his life repeating the same process. Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. He had even failed to keep his relationship of almost 3 years. He believed everyday, that he was digging himself into a ditch and slowly burying himself in it. Every woman he passed who had long straight brown hair caused him to turn away and his chest to tighten up. When he would return home he would curl up in his bed and wait for the next day to come.

But one day, after he had quit his job, he decided to go out for a walk. For some reason he knew this road like the back of his hand. He slowly walked as the cherry blossoms slowly fell to the ground at a speed of 5 centimeters per second. Then he came across a bend. It was the same bend that he and Akari would run through to get to the train tracks. "It's nice to see something familiar again once in a while" looking up at the cherry blossom trees. He suddenly had the urge to return to those train tracks that he and Akari had crossed as kids. He had suddenly remembered the trip he had took to see Akari. He ran through the bend as though he was in the same situation. Racing against the clock just to see Akari as soon as possible. He stopped at the edge of the train tracks as the safety bars went down. On the other side was a woman with his back turned to him. She had long brown hair and was wearing a dress and over it wearing a short, and thin cardigan. Takaki struggled to take a longer glimpse of her as the train came rushing by. "AKARI!" He called out without thinking, not even knowing if it was actually her. After waiting for the train to pass, he stared intently across the tracks.

"Long time no see, Takaki"

Takaki stared at this woman while his eyes watered. Slowly a tear began dripping down his left cheek. It was Akari. He walked forward, and she did the same. As if they knew what they wanted, Takaki slowly raised his arms towards her so that he could embrace her, and she did the same. Takaki slowly holds the embrace and tightens his arms around her back as if he never wanted to let her go again.

"I've wanted to see you for a long time." Takaki said in a voice where Akari knew he was happy, but sad at the same time.

"I know" Akari replied in a soft voice with a small smile on her face.

Takaki at that time, didn't realize that she was not only crying but had a ring on her left hand ring finger.


	2. Chapter 2:Questions and Answers

NOTE: In no way shape or form do I own the story or characters in Makoto Shinkai's_ 5__ Centimeters Per Second_. Anyway this is my first fan fiction and I was really nervous about uploading it but one of my good friends told me to do it so here it is. Please leave some reviews and ways that I can better improve my writing and enjoy!

Chapter 2: Questions and Answers

The cherry blossom continued to fall around the Akari and Takaki as they continued to embrace each other. Akari could hear him sniffling, and she couldn't help but continue to shed a tear as well.

How long had it been? Akari thought to herself. The grip that was holding her so tightly began to loosen. Her face lifted and moved away from Takaki's shoulders. She smiled a little bit as the last set of tears dribbled down her face.

"Your shoulders have gotten broader," she said. Takaki smiled back as he rubbed his eye.

"How long has it been?" Takaki finally asked.

"I don't know," Akari responded.

The two looked at each other and waited for one of them to ask another question. Takaki wanted to ask so many things and he was sure that Akari wanted to know more as well but he couldn't think of the proper way to ask her. He struggled to come up with another question to ask Akari.

"How have you been?" asked Akari.

Takaki was stunned for a second. While he had been struggling to find the right words she had just outright said it. Takaki felt embarrassed because he had failed to take the initiative, but he just looked up with a genuine smile on his face.

"I've been getting by," he responded.

He couldn't tell her that he was living alone, with a horrible diet, and that he had quit his job that day. He didn't want Akari to look at him and see somebody completely different. He didn't want her to pity him, or to worry about him.

"How about you?" he asked.

"Well, a lot has happened since we last met," she said as her head tilted a little bit to the ground.

Takaki noticed that she was blushing. He was confused, but he was hopeful that the redness that emerged from her cheeks was because of their reunion.

"I was traveling for a while," she continued. "I've always wanted to see the world. After I graduated I had that opportunity. I couldn't have mustered up the courage to do this alone though," she continued.

Takaki was taken back by this. What did she mean by "couldn't do this alone?". Takaki began to lose the one genuine smile that had returned to him in who knows how long. Akari lifted her hand up. On her hand was beautiful silver ring with a small diamond in the middle. It glistened in the sun as she raised it up.

"I met somebody in Highschool, and he helped me realize my dream, and during all that decision making. He proposed to me," she revealed with a shy and quiet voice.

The hole that resided in his heart, opened a little wider that day. He looked at the ring for a couple seconds and the put his head down. He then looked up, and into her eyes again. As he looked at her, she looked genuinely happy, and content.

"Congratulation! I'm rooting for you," he said, trying to sound as happy as he possibly could.

The amount of Cherry blossoms that were falling began to dwindle, as the void in Takaki's heart began to grow.

'This is a fact of life' Takaki thought to himself. Still looking into Akari's eyes as he continued to say to himself that this was truly his final goodbye.

**Hey guys/gals I haven't updated this in a super long time, and honestly even though there was very little feedback, I wanted to keep writing it but never had the time or mindset to start writing again, but here I am. Again it's really short, and this chapter might have a ton of issues but please leave some feedback. I plan on writing and updating this at least once or twice weekly depending on how my schedule is. As for where I plan on taking this story, don't worry don't let this chapter fool you. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3:Thread of Their String

NOTE: In no way shape or form do I own the story or characters in Makoto Shinkai's_ 5__ Centimeters Per Second_. Anyway this is my first fan fiction and I was really nervous about uploading it but one of my good friends told me to do it so here it is. Please leave some reviews and ways that I can better improve my writing and enjoy!

Chapter 3: Thread of Their String

Although Takaki thought he had hid his true emotions successfully, Akari knew better than to take what Takaki showed on his face as the truth. She knew that she had hurt him, and she knew that he still loved her. Yet she still showed him the ring.

As the silence grew, it was interrupted by a cell phone ringing. It was Akari's. She reached into her cardigans pocket and pulled out a smartphone. She looked at Takaki and raised her index finger and said "I have to take this,".

"No problem, take your time" Takaki responded, but in his heart he wanted to turn and run in the other direction. Away from the person that he knew he couldn't have, but he stood there and listened.

"Yea, I just decided to take a walk while I was out buying groceries." she said into the phone.

"I'll be home soon, I just ran into an old friend of mine" she continued.

An old friend. Takaki smirked but he didn't make a sound. He knew that at this point that's all he was. A friend, and that was all he could be from now on. All he could do was watch her, as in his mind, she disappeared from reach again.

"Okay, I will. I love you too. Bye" she finished as she brought the phone down and began putting it in her pocket.

"Sorry about that" she said apologetically to Takaki.

"It's fine, it seemed like he was checking up on you" he responded.

"Yea, he does that sometimes. He wants to make sure I'm safe" she explained with a smile on her face.

Takaki didn't know how to respond to her, but he knew he had to think of something to say.

"He seems like a really good guy." he uttered.

Akari looked at him and she knew that he wanted to run away. She had thought that for Takaki it seemed as if Akari had betrayed him, and she felt guilty as she had moved on but he failed to and was chained down by his feelings for her. She couldn't say anything to comfort him. All she could hope for was that the next time that they meet, it would be after he had moved on.

"Yea he is" She said softly

There was a pause

"It was really nice seeing you again Takaki" she continued.

Takaki knew that this was for the best. That they part ways once again. It was as if the string connecting them was hanging on for its dear life as the final thread was coming undone.

"Yea, it was nice seeing you too," he replied.

The two of them looked at each other one more time and exchanged their goodbyes, and walked past each other. Her in the direction Takaki had come from, and him from the direction Akari had come from. Takaki had wanted to ask for her phone number, but he knew that it was better if he didn't, and he was sure that she thought the same thing.

The string that was holding them together for all these years was old and frail, and it was time for it to break. That's what Takaki thought in his heart.

**Thanks to the people who are enjoying my story. Although the schedule I set for myself isn't working out at all. Please leave any thoughts and fixes that you think would improve my writing. Sorry again for the short chapters, but I can't seem to write long chapters. It seems I can only write in short and quick bursts. **


	4. Chapter 4: Where She Stands

NOTE: In no way shape or form do I own the story or characters in Makoto Shinkai's_5__Centimeters Per Second_. Anyway this is my first fan fiction and I was really nervous about uploading it but one of my good friends told me to do it so here it is. Please leave some reviews and ways that I can better improve my writing and enjoy!

Chapter 4: Where She Stands

Akari fought the urge to turn around and look at Takaki's back as he walked away. She knew Takaki better than anyone, and she knew that he had been through hell just by looking at his face. However she couldn't do anything more than pity him now. She couldn't freely embrace him, caress his face, and say _I missed you_. This was the inevitable train of thought she had.

The memories, and feelings of a first love would always linger on, no matter how much you try to forget, and it's harder to say those feelings aren't there anymore when the first person you ever chose to love was standing in front of you.

While thinking this she continued to walk down the ever growing familiar road.

So this is the road we used to run down, she thought to herself.

She smiled, and walked in a whimsical way. Hopping off her back feet and landing on her front, only to follow through with the stride of her step and continue to hop. Her dress swayed back and forth, with each hop she took. As her foot touched the ground once more, she stopped. Froze as if she had been paralyzed. Her smile began to quiver, and tears began to sliding down across her cheeks. She suddenly felt a pain in her was the feeling that she was most afraid of. Guilt and regret. She dropped to her knees, letting her bags fall to the ground. She covered her face with her hands, and let her tears out.

_Why!? Why did it have to be him!?_ she thought. She knew at that moment that her feelings for him had resurfaced, but then she stopped and began to tell herself, _I have someone waiting for me, and I love him. I'm sure Takaki will find someone who he can love just as much as me._ Although this was a painful thought for her at the moment, it was the right state of mind to be in for both herself, and Takaki.

She stood up and patted off any dust that was on her dress, and she wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her cardigan. As she finished picking up her bag and the groceries, her phone rang. She reached into her cardigan's pocket and pulled it out to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby, are you almost home?"

"Yeah, I'm almost home,"

"Alright, because I'm starving!"

"Okay! I'll be right there!"

She closed her phone, and stowed it away again in the same pocket. She composed herself once more and began to walk back to her home.

It had taken her twenty minutes to return home. She unlocked the door, and opened it, only to be greeted with a hug from her fiance.

The hug had lasted for a good five seconds, and was quite tight. As the grip on the hug loosened, Akari looked up at her fiance with a smile, and as she put the bags down he said:

"Welcome home,"

Akari looked at him and responded.

"I'm home darling"

**Hi everyone! If you're enjoying the story that's great, and I really appreciate it. I decided to touch on Akari's train of thought for a bit, and give me a chance to write a chapter to show her, and her fiances relationship. Again I'm sorry for the really short chapters, and the really long delays in between chapters. However since school is wrapping up in a couple days, I'll be sure to crank out the chapters a little more often (No promises though xD) Again it would be awesome if you left some reviews, or tell me what I could improve upon in my writing! Oh, and I'm having trouble thinking of a name for her fiance, so don't be afraid to leave some recommendations for names! Thanks again!**


	5. Chapter 5: Takaki and The Homeless Man

**NOTE:****Hi everyone! I am super sorry that I didn't update this for a long time. Like a really really long time, but as an apology I have a really long chapter for you. It's really going to focus on Takaki as a character and his thoughts. Next chapter which I swear I will update sooner will kind of build upon Akari's life but will mainly focus on Takaki until a certain point where I will be refocusing on their relationship. Hopefully this long chapter makes up for the really long absence and as always please leave me suggestions and ways that I can improve my writing! PS: I wrote this when it was really late so please excuse my mistakes and enjoy!**

His heart, his mind, his soul. What exactly could he say was left after that encounter? This fleeting love that had once escaped him only to fall right back into his lap and for this sliver of hope to vanish before him as the words "fiance" entered his head.

The only thing he could think of doing was drinking the day away and so he wandered the streets of his home as the hours continued to tick by. Soon the sky began to dim and the moon had begun to emerge.

Takaki had just left the convenience store with a bag filled with beer snacks and of course the all important beer. He walked along a small path in the side of a river. The wind wasn't non-existent but it seemed somber. Across the skyline above the apartment complexes, parks, and schools along on the other side of the river, long streaks of light bounced off the roofs as the sun set. The cars and the bustling of people heading home from work could be heard behind him in the distance.

Takaki sat down on a bench facing the skyline. The sound of the leaves on trees rustling together as the quiet wind flew past the river. Takaki grabbed a can of beer from the plastic bag and cracked it open and took a sip. A sinking feeling emerged inside of him as he swallowed.

_Heh, it's heavier than I thought it would be._

Of course he knew why. He spent some of this time reading the ingredients, nutrition label, and brand of the beer. Information he soaked in and repeated in his head to make the time pass by. He shifted his focus back to the skyline to see that the sun had now laid down to rest and the moon had come out to play. The stars that were invisible only a few moments ago lingered and shined in the sky. Takaki looked at these stars and connected the dots.

_What am I doing? To be honest why am I even here? _

These thoughts slowly began to flood his head, and he began contemplating his life. He had to come to realize that this feeling of loss and despair wasn't only because of Akari but because of his own lack of motivation. He remembered back to the island he moved to. Riding our scooters down the road, only to be stopped by a train. The train that was carrying something he looked at so many times before. A rocket. Something that would break through the human concept of "The skies the limit".

_Maybe I just wasn't meant to reach for the sky…_

He took another sip of the beer and proceeded to open a bag of peanuts.In the midst of his thoughts and the opening of his peanuts he heard rustling behind him. Not the rustling caused by the wind, but a more violent one. Shaking the tree as if trying to rip out its roots. A dark figure started to emerge from behind the shaking tree.

"God dammit, why does this always get stuck in trees!"

Takaki stood up and spoke aloud.

"Who's there!?"

"HUH!?" was the response he heard as the rustling had stopped and the dark figure lit up as it gave power to what Takaki assumed was an electric lamp. What had come to light was a middle-aged man with a large winter coat on, and a beenie. His jeans had holes all around his knees and his shoes were the ones a construction worker would wear, only much more worn out. Takaki then came to the conclusion that this man was homeless. However Takaki wasn't taken back by that fact.

"Do you need some help sir?" asked Takaki

"Oh um, sure! I wasn't expecting somebody to help an old hobo like me" responded the man.

"I guess you can say that I don't really have much to live for either" stated Takaki with a laugh.

"Ha! What makes you say that boy? As cliché as this sounds, you seem young, and you have your whole life ahead of you! Why plop yourself in a cage so soon?" questioned the man.

"Well, since I have all the time in the world, let's finish setting up this tent and I guess we can talk over a beer." said Takaki

"Sounds like a plan, these days it's hard to even get someone to talk to." agreed the man.

Takaki and the man had pulled the tent out of the brushes and together they began setting it up next to the tree that was behind the bench Takaki had been sitting on. Then the two walked to the bench and took a seat. Takaki grabbed another can of beer from the bag and handed it to the man. The man took grabbed the beer with two hands and thanked Takaki as he did it.

"So what's your name boy?"

"Takaki Toono"

"Nice name, you can just call me Jiro"

"Well nice to meet you Jiro"

"You too kid"

"Kid?"

"Don't worry about it, I never liked calling people by their names. Makes me feel bad for some reason."

"Heh. I see, well then I won't pry any further."

"Ha, yeah. But enough about me, tell me what's going on?"

"I don't know… I guess life finally decided that it doesn't want to keep fighting in the ring with me, like it's winding up the final punch."

"Is it your job?"

"No, I quit that a couple days ago."

"Let me take a wild guess and say it's because of a girl."

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Listen kid, a girl ain't nothing to destroy your world over,"

"No… It's not that. It's just this girl, I've known her since we were kids, and we were so close. Then one day she just moves away, and the one time I get close to her, even though at the time it felt like our hearts got closer, it just moved further away, and all this time I've just been searching, always searching for something that I keep telling myself is there. But it just keeps getting further and further away. Today I came the realization that I might never get there because after how many years I finally see this girl again, and here's the kicker! She's getting married."

"Ahh, that's rough news kid."

"I can't help but feel like right now the world is against me, and the fact that this girl that I have longed for has become someone that I can no longer hold close to my heart makes that feeling feel more real than it's ever been."

"Have you ever had a dream kid?"

"What?"

"This topic of it's me against the world, and this girl is kind of making the beer taste a bit bad don't you think?" Jiro said with a laugh and a smile on his face.

"Listen kid, you tell yourself that this world doesn't like you, but have you ever thought about the fact that maybe the world is doing this because it loves you? It's always a matter of perspective whether you like it or not kid. You see when I was your age I had a goal that I got up and worked for everyday."

"What was it?" 

"I wanted to become a child psychiatrist. Heh, crazy right!?"

"No, not at all. I think that's quite and admirable goal."

"You think so? Well thanks. Anyway, I worked hard everyday without a care in the world. No time for girls, games, friends. In a metaphorical sense, I was building these walls around me and they just kept getting thicker and thicker each day. When it finally came time to face the world I didn't know what to do. I had spent so much of my time lingering and chasing after this one thing that I eventually buried myself in the whole that I had spent many years digging myself."

"So what stopped you?"

"The same thing you say is stopping you. The world."

"Really?"

"At least that's what I thought. I had spent so much time chained to my own prison that I felt like I was doing all the right things only for me to finally realize when it was too late to go back, that I'm stuck in that prison. What I'm ultimately trying to say is that, it's not the world your fighting but it's yourself. All the world is doing is trying to help you go in the right direction"

"You know that could have been said way faster?"

"Yeah, but how often does someone like me get to pass on some of their wisdom to a kid like you?"

Takaki and Jiro both laughed at that remark and looked into the night sky.

"I guess I've always wanted to see the world beyond ours..."

"Now that's what you call a dream."

"Haha, ever since I saw this rocket blast off, I've always wondered where it was going and when it would come down. I heard that the view from up there pales in comparison from down here."

"Well that's a no brainer,"

"Heh, yea it really is."

"So what did you end up becoming?"

"A programmer… I studied the math, the computer application needed to get a job in the field of the unknown but I never acted on it."

"Well why don't you act on it now?"

"I feel lost."

"Well guess what?"

"What?"

"You just found your path again."

It had then finally hit Takaki like a tsunami. All this time that after that kiss, this lingering feeling between him and Akari, was holding him down like a chain. Holding him in a place where he's can't escape, and although he hated to admit it, he blamed Akari for it. He knew he had to eventually move on and that was as clear as day now.

"I get it now Jiro!"

"That's great kid, at least now you realized that it ain't you against the world."

"Yeah..."

"Hey kid,"

"Yeah?"

"I know I didn't touch on the girl all too much, but don't ever forget about her. Let her be your guide, and your light, not your enemy. Just follow your heart towards your goal, and sooner or later you'll find yourself at a point where those feelings are going to be needed again. So don't lose them, but don't let them control you. Until then let that feeling and the world guide to where you need to go,"

"I'm glad I ran into you tonight Jiro."

"And I'm glad that I ran into you too kid."

The night grew quiet to the point where only the shuffling of their feet and hands, along with the sounds of the beer flowing down their throats could be heard. The wind grew even quieter, and almost came to a halt. The sounds of traffic and bustling of people had disappeared and all that was left was Takaki and Jiro on a bench by the river.


	6. Chapter 6:One Final Letter

**Hey everyone! I'm not dead and neither is this story. I've had a bit of trouble with deciding how I wanted to eventually end this story because over the course of many months I looked back on what message both the film and manga wanted to portray. I don't want to give the themes and messages of the original story away but I decided that ultimately, I do want to stay true to the original concept but end it with a more concrete resolution. So I do apologize for anyone who wanted Akari and Toono to end up together by the end, but staying true to my title I still want to tell the story of our characters second chance. So without further ado please enjoy the final chapter.**

-Five Years Later

"Dear Akari Shinohara,

It feels strange to write a letter in this day and age where text messaging and phone calls have become apart of everyday life. Apparently even the clerk I bought the stationary from thought it was weird. It's crazy to think how far in life we've come. Right now I'm preparing to go away for a long time. Maybe two or three years. Those numbers no longer feel like an eternity, because truth be told I was waiting for you for a lot longer than that.

In all honesty, I knew that one day I was going to have to move on. But I could never find the way out of my own little box and I always blamed you for that. Despite knowing you never did anything wrong, with every failure I made, in my mind that failure always led back to you. I don't know when I'll see you again or if I'll ever see you again, so I'm going to make this letter count for all the ones I never sent and the last one you never received.

Ever since that kiss, I always hoped that one day our paths would cross again, and we would just somehow magically end up together. I knew life wasn't that type of fairy tale, but for some reason I just hoped. When we promised to see the cherry blossoms together again, I think we both knew that it wasn't going to be a promise either of us could keep. I don't know what you were thinking about at the time, but I was full of anger and sadness. The only thing I could do was cope with it. When I finally moved away, what felt like an eternity passed by. My mother got me a cellphone and I met a girl named Kanae.

At the time I had met her, I went about life just doing what had to be done, just trying to make it to the next day. But Kanae was different, to a certain extent she was a bit of a go getter. She was bright and was probably the best surfer I've ever met. The day I moved, she confessed to me. I knew that she had feelings for me, but I could never return them. Despite how she looked completely fine to me, when I look back at it now, I realize she too has gone through a lot of hardships because of me. It occurred to me many years later that she wasn't too different from me. We both fell madly in love with someone that we can't ever forget.

I don't know how she's doing or if she's mad at me or if she's forgotten about me, but I do hope that she's doing fine. Now before I bore you to sleep with this letter I have a story to tell you, and trust me it's all leading up to something. Five years ago from today, I met a homeless man named Jiro. At first he scared me to death because I couldn't see him as he was trying to setup a tent behind some bushes. But I decided to help him set it up and after I offered him a beer. As cliche as it sounds, Jiro taught me a lot that night. I told him about how I felt about my life and about you that night. He said that I was trapping myself in my own prison. I dictated my life around battling the bottled emotions I had for you and never pursued anything outside of that. I couldn't accept a life without you in it no matter how much the world was trying to push me in the right direction. But then he told me something that I wish I had learned a lot sooner. He said to me "Let her be your guide and your light, not your enemy" and that one day I was going to need the feelings and memories I have of you. Those words have never rung truer than they have for the past five years. You told me once that when I moved to that island I could chase my dream of becoming an astronaut. When I remember you saying that to me, I felt that you believed that I could do it and I did it. I'm going into space! Can you believe that!? The fact is that I owe a lot of it to you. I turned all those emotions I had for you into something that said that you were here by my side all this time.

I hope one day this letter reaches you because the stars and I will be looking over you and everyone else from above and maybe when the time comes around we'll somehow fulfill that promise we made all those years ago and watch the cherry blossoms together again. Shinohara, thank you for being my guide, my light, and most of all my second chance. Wherever life leads you, I wish that it's filled with love and happiness.

Sincerely,

Takaki Toono"

I put the pen down, folded up the letter and put in an envelope.

"What's that you were writing there Takaki?" asked one of my colleagues

"Oh, it was a letter," I said smiling

"A letter? Yeesh I haven't seen somebody writing one of those in forever" he remarked.

"Whose it for?" he pried

"Someone who helped me get to this point," I replied.

"Ahh I see what you mean," he said with a smile.

"Well you better get that to the post office or whatever quick. Mission briefing is in four hours and we'll be really busy the next couple of days before launch, so todays the only day you'll have time to get it there." he continued.

"Yeah I know, well I'll be back then!" I shouted as I began running out of the room.

-Day of the Launch-

**Takaki**

"You ready there Takaki?"

"As ready as I'll ever be!"

"Haha, let's get this show on the road!"

It was a hectic day. It was strange to be halfway around the world getting ready to leave it. I sat in the cockpit of a rocket with three other people preparing to make the journey to the International Space Station. There was a small window to my right and through my helmet I saw a clear spring day. Amongst the loud machinery and the constant radio chatter coming through I felt calm.

Everyone in the cockpit received the final countdown and as those last ten seconds were slowly disappearing I knew that wherever Akari was, wherever Kanae was, that they were all doing fine.

The sound of the engines roaring and the rockets igniting along with the intense vibration and pressure, the ship rose and began it's trek into space. Through all of this I kept looking out the same window and when I started to see the earth curve, I closed my eyes and imagined the cherry blossoms I saw as a kid.

**Akari**

I had received a letter from Takaki. At the time I sat down to read it I was trying to lull my newborn child to sleep. After the baby has settled down I opened the letter. It had brought hack so many memories from when I was a little girl. Staying up all night to write letters to Takaki. I smiled just looking at the letter.

Before I began reading the letter I didn't know what to expect. I had only run into him twice after moving back to Tokyo. The second time he seemed more vibrant but to a certain extent I could still see the sadness in his eyes whenever he laid eyes on me. Truth be told, my heart hurt each time I saw or thought of him. But we happily spoke that day and I gave him my address in hopes that he would one day come over and meet my family. However I didn't hear from him since then. That is until now.

As I read the letter I couldn't help but begin to tear up. There was always something in me that knew that Takaki was hurting and unconsciously I lived my life blaming myself. But as I kept reading I could see how much he's grown. How much we've both grown. His letter filled my heart with warmth and I felt like I could wholeheartedly cheer him on once more. I always believed in him just as the letter said. After I finished reading his letter I wiped my tears and smiled once more. The baby had woken up again and I decided to take her on a walk.

It was cherry blossom season in Tokyo. With a baby in the stroller I walked down the familiar path which Takaki and I often took. The baby and I kept strolling down the path until we came to the path where we would watch the cherry blossoms as children. Where I saw him again for the first time after all those years. There were no trains this time. Just the wind and the thousands of cherry blossoms floating down from the trees. Just as the letter said, I too hoped that our promise would be fulfilled one day.

Fin.


End file.
